ARCHIE COMICS

Kevin Keller #14

Written by Dan Parent | Drawn by Dan Parent & Rich Koslowski

"This isn't the first time we've seen the Riverdale crew cross paths with superheroes or dress up as superheroes themselves. But there's something unique about Kevin Keller donning a cape and tights and fighting crime and bigotry as The Equalizer. This issue provides an origin story of sorts of Kevin's latest extra curricular activity. One minute Kevin and Veronica are working out at the gym (or rather, Veronica watches Kevin work out), the next he's beating up a mugger and becoming the talk of the town. Not exactly an Uncle Ben moment, but this is an Archie comic, after all." -Jesse

6.8

ABSTRACT STUDIOS

Rachel Rising #27

By Terry Moore

When it comes to forward momentum, issue #27 of Rachel Rising is thin, offering many interactions but little else. For most books such an assessment would be a death knell, yet Terry Moore turns this stripped down affair into an excellent piece of character work, his knack for real and investing dialogue on full display. From Johnny's earnest heart to heart with Earl to Rachel and Zoe's girl day, Moore does a fantastic job making the mundane interesting, no line or interaction left wasted. His art also remains on point, the book's simplistic style engaging despite the relatively quiet events. Issue #27 is also notable for its inclusion of the "Kill Me Zoe" contest winner, the real life sacrificial lamb making his triumphant (and short lived) debut. An intriguing discovery at the morgue serves to pique our collective interest, furthering Rachel Rising's status as a must read. -Jeff

BOOM! STUDIOS

Hexed #1

Written by Michael Alan Nelson | Drawn by Dan Mora

Michael Alan Nelson and Dan Mora’s art-heist-with-a-twist series debuts this week and it’s not one to be missed. Hexed is the story of a supernatural art heist gone wrong. It’s a lively and intriguing premise for a series told through our protagonist, Lucifer (no, not that one). Lucifer is an extremely engaging and mysterious entity thanks to some wonderful character work by Michael Alan Nelson. He also works in a good bit of world-building without sacrificing the aforementioned character work. And as good as the writing is, it’s the art that really sells the book. Mora’s precise and kinetic art is sure to blow up after a debut like this. Hexed is engaging, intriguing, and most of all, fun. Definitely check this one out. -Tres

Final Score:

8.0

DARK HORSE COMICS

Star Wars #20

Written by Brian Wood | Drawn by Carlos D’Anda

Brian Wood’s Star Wars saga comes to a fairly abrupt end with this issue. It’s clear from these pages that Wood could have told many more stories were the Star Wars license not shifting back to Marvel. But that’s not to say this isn’t a wholly unsatisfying way to cap off his run. Wood provides an exciting space duel between the Millennium Falcon and bounty hunter extraordinaire IG-88. The relationship between Leia and her wayward childhood friend never develops into anything interesting, but there is plenty of fun to be had in the rivalry between Han and Leia, as well as Luke pushing his burgeoning Jedi powers. And Carlos D’Anda helps send out the book in style. It’s not the finale this series necessarily deserved, but it’s satisfying enough given the limited space the creative team had to work with. -Jesse

Final Score:

7.5

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

Red Sonja #11

Written by Gail Simone | Drawn by Walter Geovani

Sonja's quest to assemble the Breakfast Club of artisans continues here in issue #11, her efforts now focused on rescuing an imprisoned Stargazer. The one-and-done approach of the last few issues is given a small but effective tweak here, as this time the artisans previously collected are on hand to aid in Sonja's adventure. Writer Gail Simone continues to use each installment as a way to further Sonja's development, bringing numerous faults and fears to life. She's managed to turn a character known for her bloodletting skill into a real person with genuine nuance, no small feat considering the limited page time she has to introduce and collect these players. Much of this development is aided by artist Walter Geovani -- his pencils are loaded with emotion, his faces flickering with everything from rage and disdain to fear and remorse. This arc easily could have been all hacking and no heart, but in the hands of Simone and Geovani it's become something better. -Jeff

Final Score:

7.8

IDW PUBLISHING

Godzilla: Cataclysm #1

Written by Cullen Bunn | Drawn by Dave Wachter

"IDW’s recent Godzilla comics have been on a pretty solid hot streak, and while the new series from Cullen Bunn and Dave Wachter isn’t the line’s best, it certainly keeps that streak going. Post-apocalyptic fiction has started to kind of run its course lately and Bunn has found the perfect shot of adrenaline to make it feel fresh again: giant monsters. Forget mysterious diseases or zombies. Giant monsters are the new black." -Tres

7.5

Judge Dredd: Anderson Psi Division #1

Written by Matt Smith | Drawn by Carl Critchlow

The first issue of Anderson: Psi-Division #1 is a great example of solid art saving a mediocre story. The story told in this debut is pretty run-of-the-mill. It introduces the reader to Anderson’s world in the most by-the-book manner and the plot is pretty standard and, at times, dull (which is never something that should be said about a comic about a psychic cop in a dystopian future). It also might be the wordiest book on the shelves this week. The number of giant blocks of internal monologue is so high that it’s honestly exhausting to read. But Carl Critchlow’s vibrant art saves it a bit. He draws the world of the Judges very well and has a style that perfectly suits the story, and his Anderson is always portrayed as powerful without being oversexualized. Critchlow’s excellent art saves the newest Judge Dredd series from being a total dud. -Tres

Final Score:

6.0

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #37

Written by Tom Waltz | Drawn by Cory Smith

The first TMNT issue to hit the stands after the release of the movie doesn’t actually feature any of the four Turtles. Instead, this is an all-villain issue as Krang and Shredder meet face to face to discuss the possibility of an alliance. And as this series and its spinoffs have proven before, we don’t even need the Turtles to have a rollicking good time. Tom Waltz writes a great showdown between two powerful villains, and artist Cory Smith deftly combines ninja combat with more outlandish sights like giant humanoid sharks and armored aliens shooting missiles every which way. In particular, his Shredder moves with all the grace and danger of a ninja master. Tense and action-packed in equal measure, this issue does a fine job of setting up the ongoing rivalry between these two bands of villains. -Jesse

Final Score:

8.9

Transformers Primacy #1

Written by Christ Metzen & Flint Dille | Drawn by Livid Ramondelli

Christ Metzen and Flint Dille present a very grim version of The Transformers in this debut issue. While it claims to take place in the early days of the “war for Cybertron,” potential readers should be made aware that this issue makes references to several other Transformers titles that have come and gone. This fact doesn’t make this issue unreadable by any means, but it will probably make new readers feel somewhat out of the loop. All in all, the story comes out just fine with a war-torn Cybertron and Transformers who are altogether young and worn out at the same time. In the end though, the crux of this issue involves the bad guys finding an evil giant robot and the good guys finding a good giant robot. Other than that, the story doesn’t really go too far in one direction or the other, and there isn’t really that much of a call to action to keep reading the tale, but long-time TF readers may know more about previous tales and have a more invested interest here. Livid Ramondelli handles the pencils, and his characters are all quite recognizable. The layouts are all clear, and the action is easy to follow. The colors overall are extremely dark and gritty, as if everything and everyone is covered in dirt. This fits well with the overall tone, but it makes one wonder if these ‘bots have heard of showers at this stage in their lives. -Mike

Final Score:

6.8

IMAGE COMICS

Burn the Orphanage: Reign of Terror #4

Written by Daniel Freedman | Drawn by Sina Grace

Rarely has this franchise’s Streets of Rage inspiration been as readily apparent as it is in this issue. Rock, Bear, and Lex are leading an army of ninja strippers in an all-out assault on MannCorp and its killer robots. All of the series’ delightful excesses and violent battles and quirky character moments are in full effect. It’s entertaining, especially in any scene involving Bear playing the action hero. But there are more tender moments to offset all the violence. All of this benefits from the series’ longer format and more methodical storytelling approach. The art does a nice job of maintaining a somber and slightly ominous tone while also delivering some stylish fight sequences and a grungy, ‘90s martial arts feel. What’s not to love about this comic? -Jesse

Final Score:

8.8

Sex Criminals #7

Written by Max Fraction | Drawn by Chip Zdarsky

Seriously folks, is there any book quite like Sex Criminals? On the surface it’s lewd, shocking and in-your-face provocative, filled with enough dirty verbiage and phallic-shaped sword fights to scare the bejesus out of any pearl-clutching prude. At its core though, Sex Criminals is something more, an honest and at times painful look at sexuality, depression, and the difficulty of connection. Much like last issue, issue #7 is almost entirely character study, the advancement of plot secondary to the current physical and psychological well being of our leads. Matt Fraction continues to imbue even the most ridiculous situations with real, genuine weight, resulting in yet another memorable and affecting installment. He and Chip Zdarsky have taken their storytelling craft to an entirely different level so far in the book’s second arc, and while the story as a whole remains on the slower side, it’s never anything less than compelling. Whether you brimp, bop, or bork, Sex Crims is a winner. -Jeff

Final Score:

9.4

Starlight #5

Written by Mark Millar | Drawn by Goran Parlov

Starlight is easily Mark Millar’s best Millarworld title, and issue #5 is a perfect example of why that is. This is a densely packed installment that starts out by providing the origin of Space-Boy and his hatred of the Brotean Empire. It’s a simple but effective sequence that transitions into a major battle between the resistance and the Broteans. This issue if full of twists and betrayals, expertly setting up issue #6’s big finale. And through it all, Goran Parlov’s art delivers that distinct combination of space fantasy, whimsy, and good, simple drama that the script demands. At this point, I’m looking forward to the finale with equal parts anticipation and sadness. -Jesse

Final Score:

9.0

The Walking Dead #130

Written by Robert Kirkman | Drawn by Charlie Adlard

"The one thing that Robert Kirkman has always been great at is presenting his fans with dread-inducing cliffhangers. This doesn’t happen at the end of every issue, but we definitely get one with issue #130. The reveal at the end of this issue is frightening, and a bit off the wall, but it’s also something could either be the next evolution of the ever-present threat faced by our survivors or a big old red herring. Either way, this issue is another example of why this series has captivated fans for over a decade." -Mike

8.1

TOP COW PRODUCTIONS

Genius #2

Written by Adam Freeman & Marc Bernardin | Drawn by Afua Richardson

Genius has taken on a new sense of relevance in light of real-world events unfolding in Ferguson, MO this week. There’s a certain sense of heightened reality at play as police officers and gang members gun each other down in the streets at the media struggles to keep up with the story. Unfortunately, this issue still suffers from the core problem that plagued the first. There are no particularly compelling or even decently fleshed out characters besides Destiny herself. I would have liked to see a closer focus on her, particularly as the story begins shifting towards her ruthless battle tactics and the collateral damage they cause. The artwork is certainly interesting, and the heavy use of shadows suits the tone of the book. But at time the figures are too exaggerated and stand out too much from the backgrounds. -Jesse

Final Score:

6.3

VALIANT COMICS

Armor Hunters #3

Written by Robert Venditti | Drawn by Doug Braithwaite

"In an event book, the issue before the finale is often a crucial one, tasked with aligning players and set pieces in ways that set the series up for completion. Its tricky business, yet one Armor Hunters pulls off with gusto, issue #3 alive with tense drama and devastating action." -Jeff

8.0

Unity #10

Unity #10 is an interesting read. On the one hand, it's helpful in that we finally learn how robot babies are made, Matt Kindt detailing the origins of the towering GIN-GR in a surprisingly gripping opening. On the other, issue #10 feels largely unimportant in the overall scheme of things, offering little beyond a few choice action scenes and limited emotional development. While more story is never a bad thing, Unity runs so close to the similarly released Armor Hunters #3 that most of the added scenes feel extraneous and unnecessary. It's not a bad issue, as there's some legitimately affecting moments, but considering the great job Unity has done at standing out throughout this event, issue #10 just doesn't quite cut it. That said, it's still dang pretty, artist Stephen Segovia delivering his usual blend of high-octane action and dramatic character work. -Jeff